A COMMUNITY project has teamed up with Tesco to receive food donations for those in need.
The Pennypit Community Development Trust, which helps people in the Preston Seton Gosford, Fa’side and Musselburgh communities, aims to combat poverty and reduce inequalities through sports, skills development, nutrition and family engagement.
It now receives food donations from the Haddington and Musselburgh Tesco stores through the supermarket's Community Food Connection (CFC) scheme.
This initiative ensures that surplus food from Tesco does not go to waste and is instead provided to charities and community groups.
Euan Stratton, community development worker at the Pennypit Community Development Trust, said: "The food donations allow people to budget their money for other essentials, without going hungry, and ensure no one is ever left wondering when their next meal will be.
"We’d like to thank Tesco and FareShare for helping us with this project – their involvement with the local community is wonderful to see."
The CFC initiative is part of a wider collaboration between Tesco, FareShare and the Pennypit Community Development Trust.
Alongside the ongoing food donations, the group was also gifted a £1,000 winter voucher in December.
This was used to provide Christmas presents for local children and 'Jingle Bags' containing all the necessities for a full Christmas dinner.
'New Year Bags' were also distributed, including a steak pie for a traditional New Year’s Day dinner.
Mr Stratton added: "The use of the monetary voucher to buy gifts and create the Jingle and New Year Bags was greatly appreciated by the local residents we provide for, who otherwise may not have felt like celebrating over the festive period."
Claire de Silva, head of communities and media at Tesco, said: "Working with community groups such as the Pennypit Community Development Trust, to help them get the food and supplies they need, is such an important service for us to provide.
"The dedication they have to their local community is amazing and we are pleased to do what we can to support."
Katie Sadler, head of FareShare Go, said: "The food that Tesco redistributes through FareShare makes a huge difference to people facing food insecurity across the UK.
"We work with thousands of charities and community groups providing essential support to their communities, and receiving a steady stream of food helps them to feed the people who need it most."
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